Three
Trees
Once
there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing
their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, 'Someday I hope to be a
treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious
gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the
beauty.'
Then
the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take
Kings and Queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world.
Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.'
Finally
the third tree said, 'I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest
tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and
look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them
I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and
people will always remember me.'
After
a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen
came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, 'This looks like
a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter,' and
he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the
carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At
the second tree the woodsman said, 'This looks like a strong tree. I should
be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because
he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When
the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew
that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen
said, 'I don't need anything special from my tree, I'll take this one,' and he
cut it down.
When
the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box
for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at
all what he had prayed for.
The
second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a
mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.
The
third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.
The
years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then
one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the
baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man
wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have
to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had
held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years
later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second
tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the
water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to
keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said 'Peace, Be still” and the storm stopped. At this
time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally,
someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the
streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a
stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of
a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to
stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus
had been crucified on it.
The
moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always
know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give
you great gifts.
Each
of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.
We
don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His Ways are
not our ways, but His ways are always best.
Pass
it on, so God may inspire more people on The Way.
May
your day be blessed. And until we meet again, may God cradle you in the palm of
His hand.
